FreedomTalks

Despite public frustration over high pump prices and flush industry profits, major refining companies are seeking and winning large local tax breaks for their refinery-expansion plans with little political opposition. The author says that refinery tax breaks haven’t emerged as a political lightning rod, in part because the industry argues that its new projects could [...]

Coupons — 50 cents off, buy-one-get-one-free — are usually attractive and make customers feel well. However, a WSJ writer David Wessel pointed out that “Tons of Tiny Tax Breaks Prove to Be Addictive and… Taxing” . (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115274491342405064.html?mod=politics_primary_hs)
David says that adding tax break to the dozens of others that decorate the tax code, we get higher [...]

The Bush administration expects the fiscal 2006 budget deficit will shrink by about 7% to $296 billion from last year’s $318 billion deficit. But this temporary narrower gap will again expand in 2007.
While according to the estimation from White House Office of Management and Budget, Much of the projected deficit reduction stems not from reining [...]

The Senate fell short of moving to an up-or-down vote on a minimum-wage raise, but a 52-46 tally was the best so far for backers.
See full text from WSJ.

A group of 12 large corporations urged Congress to pass a conprehensive Federal consumer-privacy law, citing rising concern that consumer trust in Internet safety is eroding.
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Compensation for the federal government’s 1.9 million civilian workers in the executive branch costs almost $200 billion annually, says Chris Edward, director of Tax Policy Studies at the Cato Institute.
Federal wages and benefits have been rising quickly, and by 2004 the average compensation of federal workers was almost twice the average in the private sector.
In [...]